Cupcake Class: 50 Fun Themes & Totally Amazing Designs for Kids to Make & Share

by Joy Howard, Deanna F. Cook

Junior bakers learn how to perfect their cake-decorating skills and develop their creativity​ with 50 cupcake designs.

With step-by-step photos for every stage of the process, bakers ages 8 and up learn how to create stunning cupcake masterpieces from scratch. The unique format is as simple as 1-2-3:  Start with the easy-to-follow recipes for the Best-Ever Vanilla or Chocolate Cupcake base and simple buttercream frosting.  Learn impressive decorating techniques, like using a piping bag, working with fondant, and creating 3D designs with candy.   Put your new skills into practice with detailed instructions for 50 fun designs, including sloths, mermaids, funny faces, and more! Best-selling children's baking authors Deanna Cook and Joy Howard share tips and tricks and creative designs that are perfect for birthday parties, holidays, and every day! Stickers and punch-out cardstock decorations for making cupcake toppers are also included in this kid-friendly cookbook

Genres: Cookbooks

156 pages, Hardcover

Published September 2, 2025

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Cupcake Class is the most fun cake decorating book I've seen. Primarily meant for children, this book is great for adults to use too for kids' parties.
The book starts off with a run-through equipment, etc, and then gives 2 basic recipes to use for the cake decorating ideas in the book (a vanilla cupcake and a chocolate cupcake).
The decorating ideas are easy to follow and understand in simple and easy to understand steps.
Some of the designs may need adult supervision or support, but most are simple enough to do independently.
I especially loved the animal ones, the space ones, and the ocean themed ones.

[Susan Hamann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cupcake Class is a book primarily aimed at youngsters to learn how to bake and decorate cupcakes, but no one says that the young at heart or people baking for children can’t love this book, too. Some steps might require some adult interaction, particularly if using a stand mixer and the oven. But there are so many ideas, a loving adult might want to make to surprise and delight the youngsters.

The book starts with basic recipes for cupcakes:
Very Vanilla Cupcakes (with recipes for 12 or 24 cupcakes.)
One Bowl Chocolate cupcakes (with recipes for 12 or 24 cupcakes.)
Buttercream Frosting (of course.)

Then the fun stuff starts
Develop Your Decorating Skills - the chapter that shows you how to make the bakery style cupcakes that we’re familiar with. This section takes the baker from tinting the frosting, to filling the bag, and using different types of tips for different effects.
But then the creativity starts with Candy Decoration Skills with directions for using candy melts and using a candy mold; also for making candy shapes from gumdrops or caramels, cutting marshmallows, etc.
Working with Fondant – cutouts and shapes
Springles, dots, squiggles and sprinkles for the creative cupcake baker.
Decorating cupcakes to make animal faces – incredibly cute and creative. I love this chapter!
And creatures of the sea – or boats on top of the water.
Create a pirate map with cupcakes, or a solar system. Or maybe geodes are more your style. Rocket ships, fairy houses, flower gardens, an insect collection, snakes, unicorns, gnomes and faces
What to do for a children’s party? How about creating custom cupcakes?
How about celebrating your favorite team or holidays?

This book is jam packed with fun ideas. I think kids will love the ideas, and I love the ideas for special cupcakes for celebrations. They are almost all simple, attractive and creative. Moms and Dads, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, as well as the kiddos will love this book stuffed with cupcakes to delight everyone.

[Sheila The Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cupcake Class by Joy Howard and Deanna F. Cook is a kid-friendly baking book that makes it easy for young bakers (and the adults who join them) to turn simple cupcakes into adorable, creative masterpieces. With step-by-step photos, recipes for basic vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, and decorating tips for using piping bags, fondant, and candy, kids can create everything from mermaids to sloths to funny faces. It even comes with stickers and toppers for extra fun, making it perfect for parties or just a rainy afternoon activity.

This book is such a fun and easy guide for transforming ordinary cupcakes into something totally special, even if you rely on store-bought ingredients. There are so many cute ideas that can be whipped up in a single afternoon of decorating. I got this book just before spending a day with my granddaughter, and as soon as she flipped through it, she picked out the emoji and friendship bracelet cupcakes for us to make together. While there are a couple of simple recipes included, you can just as easily use boxed mixes or premade cupcakes and frosting to dive right into the decorating fun. I highly recommend Cupcake Class for anyone looking for approachable, creative inspiration. No Martha Stewart skills required!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of wonderful cupcake decorating ideas! Not only are they cute, but they are easy to do. They have difficulty ratings of 1 to 3 piping bags. Even the more difficult ones aren’t hard, they just will take more time. There are instructions and tips on decorating if you are new to cupcake decorating. My favorites are the pup cakes and the candy-colored Christmas tree cupcakes. There is plenty of variety so you can find something for whatever occasion you are celebrating.

Thank you to the author, Storey Publishing, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Reading Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

The essential guide that every kid who is interested in baking needs. Even great for adults and I loved it.
The recipes are easy to follow with detailed ingredients, descriptions and step-by-step directions. The photos are perfect to show us what the cupcakes will look like and which ones we can’t wait to try. The book also gives us details about everything you will need to get started cooking. You are going to want to create all of these mouth-watering recipes.
I love the creativity of this cookbook. It is the perfect way to introduce baking to your little ones. A great opportunity to spend family time together.
Get cooking with your family and enjoy.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was developed with teens in mind, but there’s nothing that points that I was using a children’s book. This would be great for anybody just beginning to learn how to decorate and how to make cupcakes. It’s easy to understand and put in basic language. It doesn’t try to get too fancy and the ideas inside the book are solid. People would have fun making these or putting together a decorating party.

[Bailey Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cupcake Class by @littlefoodwonders @deannafcookbooks is a stunning, helpful, informative, fantastic, and educational read! This book does a phenomenal job of breaking down the step by step of preparing, mixing, making, and decorating cupcakes! I love all the adorable themed designs. The fact that each recipe is rated easy, moderate, or hard is very wise to ensure young bakers dont get discouraged!

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Low-effort, high-impact designs that this adult would absolutely make for almost any occasion that calls for cups o' cake.